<<  -- 10 --  Roderic Dunnett    VERGING ON LONDON STANDARDS

The men had it even better : the orchestra felt superbly on form for the Philip II-Conte di Luna interview -- yet another first rate bit of singing, with Johnston's Rodrigo (Luna) positively blazing at the King, and some notable chromatic horn playing in one of those passages where Verdi in Don Carlo lurches perilously (or attractively) close to mature Wagner -- as also for the first Grand Inquisitor encounter, where strings excelled. The Carlo-Eboli exchange early in the next act, their trio with Posa, and the Scene One finale easily verged on London standards.

What follows is the heretic trial, or auto-da-fe : shockingly evoked with the colourful splash of suddenly unfurled banners. Again the odd orchestral weakness interfered (slightly overloud for chorus, imperfect for the king's opening monody, some chromaticism not quite clearly defined, and one unhappy cello solo). But dramatically it worked : above all, the massive chorus outburst, and Carlo's firelit defiance of his father, aided by clarinets and bassoons as Rodrigo quietly disarms him. The blazing finale was one of the orchestra's finest moments.

Chew introduced Philip weakly for the study scene; the King's creaking chair should have been ejected at dress rehearsal; but his isolation was palpable (the cello solo now beautifully plangent, and violins good). Here, Robert Secret brought a real delicacy to the conducting, and his empathetic pacing, though not always quite matched by William Peel's promising young King, greatly helped the drama.

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